pynohon



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. PYNCHON.

- AIR SHIP.

No. 508,753. Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

Luz/(2655a.-

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. "PYNCHON.

AIR SHIP.

9 m g em. 1 V 0 N d e m w :2: a .5 b C H k. P a a x QV x 5 s 5 a. a. [Hmfl (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. P'YNO HON. AIR SHIP.

N0. 508,753. Patented NOV. 14,1893.

Cl/i/Twasea:

M Q.e1- M Ina avionsPEcmIoA'rto v ibrming part of LettersiPatent No; waves-dated November 14,1893},

Application filed March 23.1891. setauraesasre. tNomodelLl To all whom, it may concern: I I

Be it known that I, EDWIN PYNCHoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of' Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful ,Improvements in the Iiropulsion of Vessels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in air ships and has for its object to provide a simple, cheap and convenient ship with .-various improvements with respect to locomotion, and the like, as hereinafter set out.

It isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is avertical longitudinal section of the vessel. Fig. 2 isa detail sectional part diagrammatic and broken view of the devices for propelling the ship. Fig. 8 is a detail cartridge holder and section of detonating plate. Fig. at is a cross section of the cartridge conduit pipe. Fig. 5 is'a detail of the cartridge and bolder. Fig. 6 is an end view of the cartridge holder. Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of the ship in motion.

Like parts are indicated by like letters in all the figures.

A is the body of the ship having rollers A beneath upon which it may rest when upon the earth, and side projecting balconies A the windows A the doors A A the securing rings A A and connected above. with the aero-planes B B by means of the long braces 13 B. The body rises above the forward ends of the aero-planes as indicated in Figs. 1 and 7. The forward end of the body and aero planes are made sharp so as to give the minimum of resistance while in motion. The body is shaped after the pattern of a marine ship and is made of any desired material, but so as to have the greatest strength with the least weight, as, for example,aluminium. The same is true of the aero-plan'es, and theenvelope of the buoyancy chamber 0 which rises above and is connected with the aeroplanes,

which extend slightly downward to serve in descent as a parachute. The inner frame work of sueh'chamber and acro-planes may be constructed asoccasion may require, and experience approve, but probably with light metallic beams, bars, wires and cables as indicated by the letters C 0 Posts as shown in the drawings, four in number pass through the bottom of the body to the top of the buoynnwm'rrNouomyor ounrnooflnnlxo ancy chamber and giverigidity andstteng to the frame." I They are"letteredi'Ct a l The buoyancy chamber and aero-p lanesf'may- -ber' compartments.

divided into a suitable numberof'fseparate 1' Strengtheningjwires 0 .10 reach fromthe top of the buoyancy chamber to the bod y and acre-planes. Forwardly pro-f jecting from theaero-planes,arethefsteering wings D which are placedat an angle so as to reducethe resistance of air pressure when" the ship is in rapid motion, and forwardly projecting from the boat is the vertical steerv ingwing D: I 1 TI D is a promenade deck, and D -the'captains-deck; D a round house above the stair-1 way leading to the promenade deck D D are windows opeuinginto the pilothouse. E E are the forward and rear openings of 1 the pipes E"E, in which the vertical pro.

pellets are placed.

.G is a concave detonat-ing plate' at'the rear.

andbase of the body and exterior to which the propelling cartridges are exploded.

H isa compartment on the bottom of the body of the boat and adapted to hold themachinery, freight and other heavy substances;

H is the dining-room wit-h theclevated 1 chandelier above.

From the ceilingof the apartment timewardly, is the buoyancy" chamber which as above stated may be divided into'variou compartments. 1

J is a coinpartmentfwithin the-buoyancy] I chamber provided'with the diaphragm Jf-QOIl nected with the'air pipe'Pan'dby'thepi'pei J one branch of which opens through the ;J with the condensing pump Jtd i nh m I i motor J which is itself-c nergizedfrom the generator J From-this'pumpleadsthe',pipea Ice valve J into the condensed air chamber 'Jfl," andthe other branch leads through the valve J to the condensed hydrogen gas cham 1 ber J".

J is a valve controlling the pipe J When the valves are open in a suitable manner the operation of the pump J is such as to withdraw hydrogen gas from the chamber J above the diaphragm J and to condense it in the chamber J By this actitn' air is permitted to flow into the chamber J below the diaphragm J, and this operation may continue until the diaphragm has assumed the position indicated in dotted lines. By thus introducing air into the buoyancy chamber it is understood that the buoyancy of the boat will be decreased. When it is desired to again increase the buoyancy of the ship, as for example when it is proposed to alight, gas may be released from the gas chamber J by opening the valve J when the gas will pass through the pipes J and J and expand in the chamber J above the diaphragm or collapsing partition J By means of the apparatus indicated, the buoyancy may be altered and changed so as to control the position of the boat. Obviously a series ofsuch chambers J could be supplied, or other similar device or devices accomplishing the same result could be substituted and variously disposed about the ship as required. Another means of securing such result would be to introduce into the several compartments means for elevating or lowering the temperature of the gas therein contained.

J is a pressure gage connected with the chamber J J is a valve controlling pipe J whereby air may be fed to the pump J when it is desired to compress air in the tank, J Leading from the chamber J is the pipe K controlled by the valve K which leads into the cushioning chamber K the walls of which are composed in part of the detonating plate G, and it is provided with the pressure gage K Leading from the compressed air chamber J is the pipe L controlled by the valve L, which pipe opens into the cartridge receiver L from which leads the cartridge conduit L to an opening in the detonating plate G. When two such plates are used, the plates are of course located toward the sides of the stern of the body of the boat. The receiver L has a lid L which may be secured by the strap L or other suitable securing device as the lid must remain firmly in position against the pressure of the air which passes through the 'pipe L and forces the cartridge through its conduit. The cartridge consists of the envelope M with the discharge cap M within the same and-surrounded by a suitable high explosive which fills the. envelope and con-.

tains the cap.

cap M and surrounded by the primary or initial explosive and in circuit with the insulated conductor M the two ends of which pass into the cartridge holderwhich consists of the insulation body N, the spring contact plates'N N adapted to lie in the grooves N Nfi'and the end piece N preferably made of leather which servesas a piston in the conduitL The ends of th'econductor M are connected respectively with .thecontactors N N. The

pipe L has internal grooves 0 0 adapted to engage the projecting lugs O O on the plate or piston N P is an aperturein the plate G about which is disposed the insulation P, and through which an aperture is made to connect with the pipe L so that the pipe L is firmly secured and its aperture connected with the exterior air at the plate G through the body of insulation. In this body of insulation lie contact plates P P adapted to be engaged by the springs N N, and from which lead respectively the conductors P P. The conductor P leads to the switch P and the conductor P branches at P one branch P containing the battery cell P and terminating in the contact point P The other branch P contains the heavy battery P and terminates at a contact point P. The contact points P and P are located so as to be within the range of the switch arm P whereby the circuit may be completed in the one case through the battery P and the other through the battery P P is a signal bell placed in the conductor P I have shown in the mechanism last above described means for supplying, conveying and discharging propelling cartridges, but obviously these means could be greatly altered without departing from the spirit of my invention and among other changes, or adaptations, I will suggest that with respect to supplying the cartridges to their receiving chamber, the same could be accomplished by suitable mechanism in an automatic and therefore regular manner, rather than by any as shown in the drawings. When a cartridge like that shown in Fig. 11, for example, is placed in the cartridge receiver L the lid will be securely fixed in position and the valve L will be opened sufficiently so as to supply an air pressure from the chamber J to such cartridge sulficient to force the same through the conduit L and until the contactors N N are permitted to expand in the enlargement about the contact plates P P The progress of the cartridge is here arrested bysuch expansion of the spring contact plates and their engagement with the shoulders, on the insulation block. At this moment thesecontact springs come into engagement with the contact plates and if the parts are properly in contact the circuit will becompleted through the conductorsP andP n At this time the switch P 'should' be in'the position shownin dotted M is a platinum wire within the discharge lines so that the circuit will be completed throughthe-batteryP and the bell P. This. .will be alight current not sufficient to discharge the cartridge, but just suflicient to ring the bell and notifythe operator or engineer that the cartridge is suitably placed'for explosion, or in other words that-the cartridge holder N is placed as indicated'in Fig. 3 and i that the cartridge M is hung as indicated in Fig. 2,. inproper relation to the detonating I plate .siitiion shown in full lines and circuit com- Now the switch is moved to the pothe air ship forward. After the explosion of the cartridgethe valve L is turned so as to increase the pressure of airin the pipe L and the springsN' are broken ,otf by such in creased pressure, and the whole of v the car-, 'tridge holder is expelled from the end of the pi pe.

R isa tank in the bottom of the boat which I is controlled by the pipes and valves R R and may be used forawater supply, and may also be used as a water ballast chamber for the air ship when upon the water. \Vhen the tank R is thus filled with wateras ballast and it is desired to free the same before flight of the ship such result may be secured by first opening the valve R and next the valve B so as to permit the compressed air in chamber K to pass through the pipe R until all.

' of the water is expelled. If found specially important for this use the chamber R could be made larger or there might be a series of In each of thevertical pipes F F is placed .a horizontal propeller S driven by the belt S on the pulley S on the shaft S operating in the box S and which shaft is itself driven by the pulley Son the belt S from the motor S which motor is driven by the generator S These boxes S are continuous with the .air, shafts or pipes F F. to which they are A attached and are intended to be air tight so that none of the air being forced through said pipes can escape into the compartment H of r the ship. The reason for using said boxes is because it is easier to make a shaft work erat'or S".

anismbeing contained in the box S and i driven from the belt Sfrom the motor S which is supplied with current from thegen- The boat may be steered and its speed moderated or controlled by the operation of these fans which are shaped to force the air in either direction from such pipes E.

V is a rope passing over the Windlass V on and about the pulleys V V'" and connected with the arm V on the vertical steering wing D. There are two such pulleys V one situated on each side of the arm V in the usual -W- through the Windlass W in ascending.

manner, so that by operation of the Windlass 'V, the steering wing D may be moved in either direction to guide the vessel.

W is a sprocket wheel on the shaft W of the horizontal steering wing D, and V is a chain orbelt connected therewith which passes over the pulley W which is operated by the belt By turning this windlass the steering wing D may be raised or loweredto direct the vessel with reference toits vertical'course.

It is quite evident that many of these'va-ri- 'ons parts may be omitted or replaced by oth ers without constituting any material departure from the spirit of my invention.

In using my device after some degree of ascent has been made and some degree of momentum forward secured a pair of small cartridges are caused to detonate and are followed at appropriate intervals by other cartridges of increased size. The cartridge is placed in the tube and with a light pressure of tenor fifteen pounds to'the square inch of compressed airis slowly shot through the tube. When in properposition for firing a circuit is closed, causingv a magnetic bell to ring by aid 'ofthe weak -.current wh ich in its course passes through the cartridge. The cartridge 'is then fired by passing a strong current through it. Meantime thepressure of fifteen poundsto the square inch is allowed to remain in tubes. After explosion of cartridge the wooden plug is blown out by turning on full force from compressed air tank, saythree hundred pounds to the square inch, which cleans and-cools the tube. In order to secure the low pressure an auxiliary tank in addi tion' to the one shown may have to be employed. In the present design as shown, it is intended that these cartridges shall be selected and placed in the tubes by hand though it will in future be an easy step to provide a mechanism whereby this will be done automatically as in case of the magazine gun. While buoyancy is desirable in elevating the ship and sustaining the same until momentum shall have been secured such buoyancy becomes less and less required in ratio to the speed attained; hence it is intended that as forward progress is being made the buoyancy gas shall be gradually and sulliciently condensed in order to secure a proper weight of the ship so that it may benefit thereby and through such acquired weight utilize the resistance of the atmosphere to the fullest degree.

The large container filled with compressed air at the bows of the ship will serve as a cushion to reduce the shock in event of an accidental collision. At the stern of the vessel back of the detouating plates compressed air is caused to serve the same purpose and 'to reduce to a minimumthe vibrations produced by the detonations.

The tubes F, F, and their fans are used If the weightof the ship were nearly balanced by the buoyancy of the gas =4 1 seam contained, it could be made to ascend by revolving the fans in the said tubes, and under such conditions the fans would not need much lifting power. The tubes E, E, and their fans are used to propel the ship when it is intended to go at a slow rate of speed, for example, when preparing to alight. They are also used in guiding the ship and turning it around when going at a slow rate of speed, by revolving one fan in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

I claim- 1 1. In an air ship the combination of a cartridge conduit through which the cartridge passes, a detonating plate at the stern of the ship in proximity to which the cartridge is discharged, and an aperture in the plate through which the cartridge passes and which is normally closed by the cartridge holder.

2. In an air ship the combination of a cartridge conduit with an air pressure tank connected therewith, a detonating plate at the stern of the ship, an aperture in the plate through which the cartridge passes, and which is normally closed by the cartridge holder and through which the cartridge holder may be discharged by increasing the pressure of the air.

3. In an air ship the combination of a detonating plate toward the stern with a high explosive cartridge, a. holder therefor, discharging wires Which pass through the cartridge and to insulated contacts on the holder, a conduit through which such cartridge and bolder passes, contact plates at the mouth of such conduits adapted to be engaged by the contact plates on the cartridge holder and conductors connected with such contact plates.

4. In an air ship the combination of a high explosive cartridge with a holder therefor and discharging wires which pass through the cartridge and to insulated contacts on the holder,

' a conduit through which such cartridge and holder pass, con tact plates at the mouth of such conduits and adapted to be engaged by the contact plates on the cartridge holder and conductors connected with such contact plates,

a conduit through which such cartridge and holder pass, contact plates at the mouth of such conduits and adapted to be engaged by the contact plates on the cartridge holder and conductors connected with such contact plates,.said conductors divided into two cir- 'cuits, one containing a weak battery and signaling bell, and the other a heavy discharging battery, and a detonating plate toward the stern near which such cartridge is discharged.

6. In an air ship the combination of ahigh explosive cartridge with a holder therefor and discharging wires which pass through the cartridge and to insulated contacts on the holder, a conduit through which said cartridge and holder pass, contact plates at the mouth of such conduits and adapted to be engaged by the contact plates onthe cartridge holder and conductors connected with such contact plates, said conductors divided into two c rcuits, one containing a weak battery and signalingbell, and the othera heavy discharging battery, and a switch whereby either of these circuits may be closed at will, and a detonating plate toward the stern near which such cartridge is'discharged.

7. In an air ship the combination 0!? a grooved pipe with acartridge holder, having an end with projecting lugs to be received into the groove, so that the cartridge is properly positioned when it arrives at the terminus of the conduit, and a detonating plate toward the stern near whichthe cartridge is to be discharged' 8. In an vair ship the,combination of a grooved pipe with a cartridge holder having an end with projecting lugs to be received into the groove, so that the cartridge is properly positioned when it arrives at the terminus of the conduit, and spring contacts on the side of the cartridge holder and ashouldered enlargement in the end of the conduit, so. that said springs expand and engage the shoulders and prevent the cartridge holder from leaving the conduit except under considerable pressure, and a detonating plate toward the stern near which the cartridge is to be discharged.

9. In an air ship the combination of a grooved pipewith a-cartridge holder, having anend with projecting lugs to be received into the. groove, so that the cartridge is properly positioned when it'arrives at the terminus of the conduit, and spring contacts on the side of the cartridgeholder, and ashouldered enenlargement in the end of the-conduit, so that IIC said springs expand and engage the shoulders and prevent the cartridge holder. from leaving the conduit except under considerable pressure, and means for varying the pressure in the conduit, so that the cartridge holder can be first forced into position and then be discharged from the conduit by means of varying pressure, and a detonating plate toward the stern near which the cartridge is to be discharged.

10. In an air ship the combination of detonating plates at the rear of the air ship ;.with conducting and exploding devices whereby high explosive cartridges may be discharged EDWIN PYNOHON.

Witnesses: .CELESTE R'G PMAN, M. DAY. 

